Delaware County school district quarantines 228 students

An eastern Indiana school district has sent 228 students home to quarantine to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in what appeared to be the largest isolating case among state schools amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Delaware Community Schools took action after a football player at Delta High School tested positive for the virus several days ago. The school district is aware of only that one case, The Star Press reported Tuesday.

“However, after yesterday, we know of a few students who are in the testing process, are experiencing many of the COVID-19 symptoms, and may have direct connections to our positive case,” Superintendent Reece Mann told the newspaper.

It’s the largest student quarantine in the state reported so far, topping the roughly 48 students affected in the Lanesville Community Schools in southern Indiana’s Harrison County.

The Delaware Community Schools quarantine affected 153 students at Delta High School, 68 at Delta Middle School and seven others at two elementary schools. The district has about 2,600 students.

“Unfortunately, we are in a situation where parents seem to be sending their child/children to school even when they are symptomatic or possibly even when they, as parents, have been tested and are awaiting the results, later to find out they are positive,” Mann said in an email.

Mary Burkholder, who has three children in the Del-Com school system, said she was surprised and worried after receiving an automated call Monday night from the superintendent informing her that her daughter was chosen to quarantine for 14 days.

“They need to shut down and go to eLearning if they can’t keep our kids safe only three days in,” Burkholder told The Star Press.

Classes started last Thursday.